Essential Grammar for IELTS Writing & Speaking with Free PDF

We are covering essential basic to advanced grammar for both IELTS Writing and Speaking Exam, including Task 1 and Task 2 (Academic and General). It will include grammar topics, clear explanations, and examples to help you build a solid foundation. You can download Free PDF Book.

Grammar for IELTS Writing & Speaking Test

Good grammar is crucial for clear communication in both IELTS Writing and Speaking Test. IELTS examiners expect correct and varied grammar, which helps your ideas flow logically and can boost your band score. Below is a list of key basic grammar points you should master, with simple explanations and examples. Each explanation is tied to how you might use it in IELTS:

• Tenses: Present Simple, Past Simple, Present Perfect
• Articles: a, an, the (and zero article)
• Subject–Verb Agreement (singular vs. plural)
• Sentence Structure & Word Order (basic SVO order, question order)
• Linking Words (and, but, because, however, etc.)
• Modal Verbs (can, could, must, should, will, etc.)
• Comparatives & Superlatives (big/bigger/biggest)
• Conditionals (Zero and First Conditional)
• Question Forms (yes/no and WH- questions)

Each point below includes a clear description and examples. Using these correctly will help make your writing more accurate and your speaking more fluent. (Variety and accuracy in grammar are especially noted in IELTS band descriptors.)

Tenses (Time of Action)

English tenses are ways we change verbs to show when something happens, right now, in the past, or in the future and how it happens, whether it’s a simple fact, an ongoing action, a completed action, or a combination of these.

• Present Simple: Use for routines, habits, and general facts. Example: “I study English every day.”
• Past Simple: Use for actions completed in the past. Example: “I watched a film last night.”
• Present Perfect: Use for past actions with present relevance or indefinite time. Example: “They have visited London before.” This tense often shows experience or changes up to now. Tip: In IELTS Writing Task 1, present perfect can describe data trends up to the present (“The population has increased since 2000”). Using correct tense for timing is vital – as the British Council notes, using all three tenses correctly “will have a big impact on how well you score”.

Articles (a, an, the)

Articles in English are small words (a, an, the) that we put before nouns to show whether we’re talking about something for the first time or something already known.

• Use a/an before a singular countable noun when it is mentioned for the first time or is one of a group.
  Example: “I saw a cat in the garden.” (first mention)
  Tip: a before consonant sounds (a book), an before vowel sounds (an apple).
• Use the for something specific or already known to the reader/listener.
  Example: “The cat climbed the tree.” (we know which cat and tree).
• Use no article with plural or uncountable nouns when speaking generally.
  Example: “Cats are friendly.” / “Water freezes at 0°C.”

Knowing articles helps your writing sound natural. For instance, in Writing Task 1 you might write “a decrease” (first mention) vs. “the decrease” (specific decrease). As the British Council explains, we use a/an for a first mention (“I saw a good film yesterday”) and the when the listener already knows what we mean (“Have you seen the car key?”).

Subject–Verb Agreement

The verb must agree in number with its subject. For a singular subject, use a singular verb; for a plural subject, use a plural verb.

• Singular: “She runs fast.” / “The data shows a clear trend.”
• Plural: “They run every morning.” / “The results show a clear trend.”

As IDP IELTS notes, “the verb must be singular when the subject is [singular]” and both must be plural if the subject is plural. Errors here can confuse readers and lower accuracy. Always check, for example, “The report is clear” (singular) vs. “The reports are clear” (plural).

Sentence Structure and Word Order

Basic English sentences follow Subject + Verb + Object.
Example: “I (subject) eat (verb) apples (object).”

For questions, the usual order is Auxiliary + Subject + Verb. For example, to ask about eating:

• Incorrect: “You eat apples?”
• Correct: “Do you eat apples?”.

Maintaining correct word order keeps sentences clear. In Writing and Speaking, vary your sentence structures – use simple sentences and also some compound (joined with and, but) or complex sentences (using clauses). For example: “I studied hard and I passed the test.” Using a mix of structures makes your language more interesting. As the British Council advises, understanding and using varied sentence structures makes you sound more comfortable in English. In fact, high-scoring candidates use “a wide range of structures” correctly.

Linking Words (Connectors) for IELTS

Linking words (cohesive devices) connect ideas smoothly. They guide the reader/listener through your points. Examples include:

• And, also, too (to add ideas): “She likes tennis and soccer.”
• But, however, although (to contrast): “It was sunny, but cold.”
• Because, since, as (to give reasons): “He was late because he missed the bus.”
• So, therefore, thus (to show result): “It rained, so we stayed inside.”

Using these correctly helps your English sound fluent. As one IELTS guide notes, “linking words… help you better connect ideas and make your language more fluent”. For IELTS Writing and Speaking, try to use a range of connectors. Example: “Furthermore, the survey shows…” or “I studied hard; therefore, I succeeded.” Good linking improves coherence (important in writing) and makes your speaking answers easier to follow.

Modal Verbs or Helping Verbs

Modals are “helping verbs” like can, could, may, might, must, should, will, would. They express ability, permission, necessity, or advice. For example:

• Can/Could: ability or permission (“I can swim” / “Could I use your pen?”).
• Should/Ought to: advice (“You should practice speaking every day.”).
• Must/Have to: obligation (“Students must submit on time.”).
• May/Might: possibility (“She might come later.”).
• Will/Would: future or hypothetical (“I will call you tomorrow.” / “I would travel if I had money.”).

Using a range of modals correctly shows control and variety. In IELTS essays, modals often express suggestions or predictions. The examiner expects you to be competent with modals to get a higher band score. Example: In an essay about problems, you might write “Governments should invest in education to solve this issue.”

Comparatives and Superlatives

These forms compare things:

• Comparatives compare two things (using “-er” or more). E.g. “Your bag is smaller than mine.” Use ‘than’: “Maria is taller than Sam.”
• Superlatives compare three or more (using “-est” or most). E.g. “Of all the students, Maria is the tallest.”

Rules (IDP IELTS): One-syllable adjectives usually add “-er” (comparative) or “-est” (superlative). For example, cold → colder, coldest. Longer adjectives use “more/most” (e.g. “more beautiful / most beautiful”).

In IELTS writing (Task 1 or 2), comparatives help you describe differences. Example: “June is hotter than July” or “Health is more important than wealth.” For superlatives, you might say “This is the most significant change in the report.” The IDP guide notes superlatives highlight extremes (e.g. “January is the coldest” when comparing three months). Using them correctly helps make clear comparisons in your answers.

Conditionals (Zero & First)

Conditionals talk about situations and results:

• Zero Conditional (general truths): Structure: If + present simple, … present simple.
  Example: “If you heat ice to 100°C, it melts.” (always true).
• First Conditional (real future): Structure: If + present simple, … will + verb.
  Example: “If it rains, I will stay home.” (possible future).

Using correct conditionals shows clear logical thinking. For IELTS Speaking or Writing, you might use zero conditionals to state facts (“If metal is heated, it expands”) and first conditionals to predict (“If I have time, I will visit”) or give advice/suggestions.

Question Forms

Knowing question word order helps in the Speaking test.

• Yes/No questions: Start with an auxiliary verb (do/does, is/are, etc.) + subject.
  Example: “Do you like music?” / “Is she coming?”.
• WH- questions: Start with a question word (What/Where/How/etc.), then auxiliary + subject + verb.
  Example: “What did you eat?” / “Where are they going?”

Always give a full answer in speaking. For example, if asked “Do you live near here?”, you should answer “No, I live in the city center” (not just “No”). Practise forming these correctly so you avoid mistakes like “You finished?” – instead say “Have you finished?”. Good question forms make your spoken answers clear and help you express ideas fully.

IELTS-Specific Tips & Strategies

• Variety boosts scores: Use a mix of sentence structures (simple, compound, complex) and tenses to show range. Band descriptors reward “a wide range of structures” used accurately.
• Punctuation matters: In Writing, use commas and full stops correctly (they affect meaning).
• Link ideas: In essays, start new paragraphs and use linking words to connect ideas (coherence). In Speaking, use connectors (and, but, also, so) to speak smoothly.
• Practice: Write sample answers and record yourself speaking to check grammar. Use official IELTS writing and speaking tasks to apply these points.

By focusing on these basic grammar points and practicing them in IELTS contexts, you’ll build a solid foundation. Good grammar not only prevents mistakes but also helps you express complex ideas clearly which is an important step toward higher IELTS bands.